Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention

I highly recommend this book for people who believe in the awesome power of generosity. From the moment I picked up Giftology -- and felt its smooth black cover -- I knew I was in for a memorable experience. The book is packed with fascinating stories and examples highlighting how the author, John Ruhlin, successfully grew his own business -- and the businesses of countless others -- through strategic gifting. Ruhlin sprinkles in Bible quotes -- such as “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” from Proverbs 11:25 -- revealing his deep faith in God as the divine source of his business philosophies. When gifting is done properly, he reminds us, it generates more than goodwill. It increases referrals, revenue, retention and ROI. Giftology shares the proven strategies Ruhlin has developed over a lifetime of gifting for connecting with people in powerful, meaningful ways. He explains exactly how he has formed long-term relationships with well-connected business leaders, going so far as to break down the step-by-step process he uses to make a lasting impression with a new acquaintance. The book provides valuable criteria for strategic gifting. Gifts should be best in class, personalized and visible (something the recipient is likely to use regularly). Gifts that meet these guidelines act as symbols of the relationship and spark conversations with friends and family about you and what you do. I decided to read this book because I know the value of relationships and I’m always looking for new ways to connect with others more deeply. It met my expectations by offering a lot of practical ideas about what to give, when to give, and how to create a budget for giving. Ruhlin recommends tangible luxury items with staying power over consumable gifts, like food, or experiences, like sports events. His reasoning is that he gets better results from gifts the recipient is likely to use every day. That’s why he believes classic Cutco knives engraved with the recipient’s name have been so effective over the years. He says that type of gift serves as a constant reminder of the relationship, while a fancy dinner or front-row seats at a basketball game are fleeting. Generosity definitely opens doors in life and business. I’m excited to use the strategies I learned in Giftology to give more meaningful, memorable, impactful gifts.

Absolutely amazing. John truly captures not only the spirit behind giving, but doing it an artful and caring way. EDIT: After trying to eat and breath the principles in giftology for a few years now, I felt the need to edit my review to expand upon the impact it’s had on me. I firmly believe that everyone can benefit from this book. Whether it’s business relationships (getting a new, better job due years of small, unexpected gifts with colleagues and key contacts), intimate relationships (helping me craft the perfect gift for my fiancée and future bride for our wedding present - it’s going to blow her mind), or friendships and those you interact with daily (getting hundreds of dollars worth of free training from instructors at my gym after gifting small, inexpensive, but impactful gifts to each of them. These people have turned in to some of my greatest friends and will even be at my wedding), giftology holds the key to completely change your life. I truly believe that heartfelt, thoughtful, impactful gifting is the key to making your life better. I have personally used the principles here to help make my good relationships great, turned some bad relationships in to good ones, and made non-existent, potentially life-changing relationships appear out of thin air. I recommend it to almost everyone I meet, and that’s why I’m recommending it to you. Read this book. Apply its principles. Change your life.

This is a great book to get in the right mindset for networking the proper way. Buy it!

Reading Giftology may cause you to seriously reevaluate what kind of gifts you are giving to your family, friends, and business associates. Ruhlin gives us some guff for the gift cards we are so quick to give out that take such little thought. Are you giving out gifts to business partners with your company logo? Be prepared to hear some chiding about giving gifts that are more about YOU than it is about THEM. The message contained in this short read is about putting thought into your gift giving. It’s about making them feel special and doing something that not everyone else is doing. It’s getting away from the chocolates, cookies, and meat & cheese baskets around the holiday season. Ruhlin tells us that, “It’s NOT the thought that counts. It’s the thoughtful thought that counts.” Our author, who coined the phrase, states, “Giftology is rooted in the acknowledgment of someone’s time being the most precious commodity he or she has to share. We’ve all been given a ridiculously limited amount of it. So when someone shares it with you, let him or her know unequivocally how honored you were to receive it.” Giftology is about giving gifts when not expected. It’s about a gift in the middle of summer for no reason. Giftology is knowing the person you’re giving a gift to and not picking something that you might like. It’s giving something that is practical that can be used over and over, not like the trinkets many corporations give out that wind up being tossed or thrown in a junk drawer. There are some great quotes in this one like, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” - Mother Teresa “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” - Winston S. Churchill This book serves as a great reminder to be different and to stand out by showing you really care about those you’re saying thank you to. Will you get more mileage by giving out 100 gifts at $10 or by giving 10 gifts at $100? This book was published in 2016. It receives 4.8 stars from 203 Amazon reviewers. Goodreads gives it 4.05 stars after 130 ratings and 19 reviews. I recommend this for anyone looking to get out of the same gift giving routine and for anyone looking for some new ideas to show appreciation. #FridaysFind #MIAGD #Giftology #JohnRuhlin

There are some really good ideas here. I wouldn't be surprised if some people call it a skimmer, but it's free through kindle unlimited and it's not a "skimmer", just a quick read. If you've ever recieved those "REDEEM you free gift now!!" Cards from Amazon orders I'm sure you never bothered, or you googled it to see if it was a scam (and had others tell you, not to bother). I've always wondered what the deal here was, and this book has given me a great understanding of how NOT to give out free gifts (by doing as I described, and looking cheap) and how you CAN give free gifts, strategically, in a way that will bring in more revenue than any advertising campaign. Worth a shot if you're thinking of starting a business, or frankly even if you're having troubles with interpersonal relationships. Thanks.

Really enjoyed this book and found its message - to give thoughtfully, unpredictably and creatively - a powerful one indeed. For years I have been struggling with the desire to express gratitude with more than just a "thank you" and the fear of going over the top. Now that I have read Giftology I feel so much more confident. This book has given me both the permission and the framework to express my gratitude in ways that will delight and surprise others. Any business benefit that this brings is, in my book, a bonus.

Amazing book and is recommended for all the people who wish to be successful. I hope the changes your life positively

Leek me een interessant boek, viel tegen. Niet veel meer op te vinden dan wat op de website staat. En daar hoef je niet voor te betalen.

Sinceramente eu nunca tinha pensado da maneira que o livro aborda a relação ideal com stakeholders. Eu achava que era um ótimo gestor mas após ler esse livro acabei me aperfeiçoando mais ainda e hoje já estou colhendo os frutos dos ensinamentos que constam nesse maravilhoso livro.